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Articles of Confederation
The Articles were the first written documentation used to run the newly created country, the United States. As citizens were scared of monarchical rule, the central government was given far less power and more was given to the states. -
Constitutional Convention
Delegates were called to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and make changes/improvements to resolve those issues. Namely, they did so by increasing the power in the central government so they have a certain amount of viable authority. -
Supremacy Clause
This title refers to article six, section two of the US constitution, which states that the constitution and all federal United States laws are the supreme law of the land, and that this can not be compromised or undermined by decisions of state legislatures. -
10th Amendment
The tenth amendment was ratified on this date. It stated that all powers not directly stated as powers of the federal government are reserved for the states. This is meant to limit the ultimate control that the national government can have over the state governments. -
McCulloch v Maryland
This court case, appealed to and heard by the Supreme Court, established that the states did not have the right to interfere with affairs that the US government have been deemed to control due to the necessary and proper clause. This specific example has to do with the established bank of the US and the tax that the state of Maryland attempted to place on it. -
Gibbons v Ogden
This case, appealed to and heard by the Supreme Court, established that states have no right to interfere in the regulation of interstate commerce, including monopolized licenses in channels between states, as in this case. -
Civil War
The Civil War's results were advantageous for those in favor of a more federalist system. One of the issues fought over, indirectly or directly passed through the issue of slavery, was individual states' rights. The North, who favor the federal system and the president Abraham Lincoln, won the war and thus it contributed to increased federal power. -
14th amendment
Contrary to the opinions, leanings, and beliefs of many states, it was ruled that, nationally, all citizens of the United States are guaranteed equal protection under the law. Although, this wasn't largely enforced until the Civil Rights Movement of 1964. -
16th Amendment
The sixteenth amendment gave the federal government the power to collect a federal income tax, expanding and increasing its power. -
Gitlow v New York
Gitlow published a socialist manifesto and then was criminally prosecuted under the criminal anarchy law of the State of New York. At the time, most courts maintained that New York's ruling was lawful. When it went to the supreme court, they ruled that the first amendment rights extended to state laws as well and therefore they could not prosecute him for his publishings. This expanded federal influence over the state sphere. -
The New Deal
The new deal expanded upon federal powers by increasing their involvement due to the economic collapse/great depression as federal social programs were used to aid and assist in helping the American economy as a whole to resolve the conflict. -
Korematsu v United States
This court case affirmed that the US was allowed the power to restrict the rights of people of a certain descent during times of war as a necessary action. The court case specifically fought against the executive order that institutes it, which was then deemed constitutional and justified by both Congress and the Supreme Court. -
Brown v Board of Education
This court case furthered the influence of the federal government in cases of civil rights, specifically segregation within schools. This federal mandate for desegregation ensured that all students have equal opportunity under the fourteenth amendment and reversed the past governmental approval of Jim Crow principles of separate but equal. This proves that the national government ultimately decides civil liberties and legality of things potentially restricting such on a national level. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
First federal enforcement behind assurance that the fourteenth amendment is respected in all matters. Ensures that equal protection under the law is truly equal, particularly in cases of race. Guarantees federal power in matters of civil liberties from this point on. -
Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
This act involves federal involvement in assistance with children of lower economic status in early life. It establishes the head start program which is meant to equalize those with historically less opportunities for early education in order to better prepare them for grade school and so on. -
Heart of Atlanta Motel v US
Motel staying was declared as an act of commerce, and therefore it was deemed constitutional that the US federal government enforce title II of the civil rights act by disallowing the motel from excluding African Americans from their customer base as a result of race. -
Roe v Wade
Federal government was given ultimate power over the abortion debate by declaring it unconstitutional for a woman to be denied the right to an abortion within the first trimester of pregnancy, getting more complicated as the pregnancy advances. -
Election of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was known for limiting government involvement in personal/state affairs. His campaign platform was based on giving powers back to the states. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA nationally declares that workplaces, establishments, etc. can not discriminate against someone no matter their ability level or any handicaps that they may have. -
104th Congress
This was a meeting of Congress which held a two house republican majority. These ideals were opposite the federal control and social welfare programs established in the United States in the previous decades. This shifted the power back to the states as a continuance of the devolution from Reagan's administration. Funding and participation was cut for federal programs at this time. -
United States v Lopez
This court case established the precedent that there are limitations to what the federal government can establish as "commerce" and therefore control. It involves the idea of a federal mandate for no gun school zones, which was overturned by the Supreme Court for lack of justification in its constitutionality. -
Printz v United States
This case was as a response to the passing of the Brady Act which was intended to require state and local law enforcement officers to conduct mandatory background checks for purchasing of guns. The supreme court ruled that it was unconstitutional to enforce due to the tenth amendment and thus they surrendered that power to the states. -
No Child Left Behind
This federal legislation increased the involvement of the federal government in education, which was previously entirely state run. This increased federal influence in literacy levels in terms of economic inequality and its effects on education. The act planned to lessen the disparity between economic classes educationally by way of a federal mandate. -
Development of the Department of Homeland Security
This federal department's primary focus is to defend our own borders and the people within them. This shows even further national responsibility as this job was previously held by states in the form of militias and other local defense systems. This department includes the coast guard among other federally controlled agencies. -
Affordable Care Act
This policy is also known as ObamaCare and it expanded the amount of coverage in the federal healthcare program, thus extending federal power to involve maintaining the general health and wellbeing of people despite their financial status.